A report from The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund found drops in population in Chinatowns across the country, with one exception, Chicago. Latest census data revealed the Asian American population in the Wind City’s Chinatown doubled over the past three decades.
Davis Wu, executive director of the Pui Tak Center, believes that location and community play a role in the growth or decline of Chinatown’s Asian populations.
“If you’re in Manhattan, and Philadelphia, San Francisco, you’re blocks from the financial district, and so we’re more of a normal community,” Wu said. “But all those Chinatowns – Boston, DC – they’re losing population because it’s hard to be a community in the middle of downtown.”
In Chicago, Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group, congruent with Chinatown Chicago’s growth.
In April, AsAmNews reported that Chinatown Chicago residents were protesting a proposed casino near the neighborhood, which they cited would increase gambling among residents.
For State Rep. Theresa Mah, the casino may harm the “growth and resilience” of the growing Chinatown Chicago population.
“It really doesn’t seem to fit with residents’ desire for a livable community,” Mah said. “There are human costs.”
Chinatown Chicago has long been a community for Chinese immigrants forced out by rent costs and sinophobia, according to ABC7Chicago.
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